Abstract
Coming from the island of Corfu, the Cangelari family settled permanently (beginning of 16th century) at the village of Vari (region of Erisso) on the island of Cephalonia. They possessed (1568) a house at the Fortress of Saint George (inside or at its suburb) too, while members lived in other villages of Erisso (Pirgo, Vassilicades, the Fortress and the Strait of Asso, Cotrea a.o.), where however the direct male lines came to an end. The family will develop their social and economic activity for at least the following three centuries at Vari, where some of their branches are still living to this day (actually with another surname). By mid 17th-18th centuries, members’ of the family settled at Sami and the neighbouring Alevrata, Grisata and Servata, at Lixuri and Manzavinata, and at Argostoli. Others later migrated to the island of Lefkas (City of Santa Maura or Amaxichi and especially the village of Saint Peter), where their descendants are living up to this day, as well as to Preveza ...
Coming from the island of Corfu, the Cangelari family settled permanently (beginning of 16th century) at the village of Vari (region of Erisso) on the island of Cephalonia. They possessed (1568) a house at the Fortress of Saint George (inside or at its suburb) too, while members lived in other villages of Erisso (Pirgo, Vassilicades, the Fortress and the Strait of Asso, Cotrea a.o.), where however the direct male lines came to an end. The family will develop their social and economic activity for at least the following three centuries at Vari, where some of their branches are still living to this day (actually with another surname). By mid 17th-18th centuries, members’ of the family settled at Sami and the neighbouring Alevrata, Grisata and Servata, at Lixuri and Manzavinata, and at Argostoli. Others later migrated to the island of Lefkas (City of Santa Maura or Amaxichi and especially the village of Saint Peter), where their descendants are living up to this day, as well as to Preveza and Aria. At that same time shows up in Cephalonia the phenomenon of evolution and change of family surnames. From the number of branches that were then created within the Cangelari family many exist at Vari to this day (together with other branches that arose from their nucleus), other, having migrated to other places, rejected the new surname and exist with their initial one and, finally, other did later come to extinction. At the outset a family of skilful warriors and priests, the Cangelaris will associate their renown with the defence of the island during the 16th century. In the service of the Serenissima, they will encounter with success enemy and pirate incursions, will proceed in spying on the eventual movements of the Ottoman forces in opposite Mainland Greece and be entrusted with the military command of the region of Erisso until the erection of the Fortress of Asso (1593). As a result many members will not avoid the misfortunes of slavery (due either to pirate incursions or military confrontations), especially during the War of Crete (1645- 1669). They will also participate in the largest ever embassy of the island to Venice (1561). A fact that enables us to assume the participation of the family to the meetings of the Council of the Community of Cephalonia even before 1593. Since 1652, however, they participate to its deliberations without interruption. Another important civil office, on which many members of the family were appointed, was that of public notaries. The records of only four of them are extant up to this day but between them is the third oldest known in the island. They will also produce a line of elders, teachers, physicians, constables, etc. during the whole period of the Venetian rule, during which agriculture was the main occupation of the population. The Cangelari family was engaged in the exploitation of their domains (which at that time were producing cereals, raisins, olives, wine, etc.), while simultaneously were occupied with livestock breeding and shipping. Since the mid 19th century branches of the family establish themselves permanently in Athens, Andravida, Patras and other parts of Greece, in Constantinople (now Istanbul), the opposite located Kios (now Gemlik) and the Princess Islands (now Kizil Adalar) of the then Ottoman Empire, in Braila of Romania, in Kerch of Crimea, as well as in Suez and Alexandria of Egypt. In 20th century they searched for a better chance in Africa (Asmara of Erithrea, Belgian Congo, Burundi a.o.), Jerusalem and Cyprus as well as the United States of America and Australia. There their members will prosper in the fields of trade, shipping, transports, letters, arts and sciences. Always ready to give their lives in respond to calls from their country, they have been and remain absorbed to the free and progressive thought for the benefit of their family and community.
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